Empire State Trail Town Program Grant

Empire State Trail Town Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Parks & Trails New York
Last Updated: December 02, 2025

Summary

The Empire State Trail Town Program, managed by Parks & Trails New York, aims to transform communities along the iconic Empire State Trail into vibrant, trail-friendly destinations. Through expert guidance, the program supports local initiatives to enhance outdoor recreation, promote tourism, and strengthen community identities as trail towns. Applications for the 2026 round are now open, inviting eligible cities, villages, and towns to unlock the economic potential of outdoor recreation along this renowned trail.

Overview

Parks & Trails New York Founded in 1985 by a group of passionate park advocates who believed New York’s magnificent state park system merited its own advocacy group, PTNY’s purview quickly grew to include trails, outdoor recreation, active transportation, and bicycle and pedestrian issues. Over its tenure, PTNY has successfully prevented the closure of over 100 sites during a critical budget crisis, championed the effort to close gaps in the Erie Canalway Trail, and developed the foundational concepts for the Empire State Trail (EST). Through grants and grassroots support, we’ve directed $10 million to community groups and engaged over one hundred thousand volunteers, ensuring cherished public spaces thrive. Today, these efforts contribute to the remarkable success of nearly 88 million park visits and nearly 10 million annual users on the nation-leading Empire State Trail. Empire State Trail Town Program Creating Trail Friendly Destinations Alongside our partners at the New York State Canal Corporation, the Empire State Trail Town Program celebrates and supports the vibrant communities along the Empire State Trail—the longest single-state, multi-use trail in the nation. Through a competitive application process, this program recognizes trail-side communities that are ready to fully embrace the economic, recreational, and cultural benefits of being connected to this iconic trail. Over the course of 10 months, selected communities receive expert guidance from PTNY to help boost local access to high-quality outdoor recreation, create welcoming, trail-friendly destinations, strengthen their identity as a trail town, support local businesses, and promote tourism. The goal? To help communities turn their location on the iconic Empire State Trail into a lasting advantage, making them great places to live, visit, and explore. Applications are now open for the 2026 round of the Empire State Trail Town program, managed by Parks & Trails New York with support from the NYS Canal Corporation! Eligible applicants include cities, villages or towns located directly on or in close proximity to the Erie or Champlain Canalway Trail that are ready to unlock the economic potential of outdoor recreation.

Eligibility

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